In the installation of modular wall systems, it is common practice to provide a plurality of similar panel elements and to join them in order to complete a wall assembly. These systems are used to provide machine enclosures, booths, office rooms, work stations, and the like. The panel elements are joined in various ways, including simple nut-and-bolt means. In order to overcome some of the disadvantages of such means, various forms of fasteners have been developed for this purpose. For instance, the U.S. Pat. of Daw et al No. 4,909,013 shows an extension of the nut-and-bolt system in which the nut is in the form of a large rectangular element having grooves that engage flanges on panel elements to be joined. Such structures developed in the past have suffered from a number of disadvantages, including the fact that they have been complex and expensive. Some of the systems have required more than one person to assemble, because one person has been required to work at the rear of the assembly, while another person operates the fastener from the front. Other systems have had fasteners made up of a number of unassembled small parts that are easily mislaid or lost. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a wall panel system that includes a fastener that permits assembly of panels by a single person from the front of the system without any alignment problems.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a wall panel system including a fastener whose parts need not be disassembled before being applied to panel elements.
Another object is the provision of a wall panel system including a fastener that can be pre-adjusted so as to minimize the number of turns required to effect locking of the panels to each other.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a fastener for use in a wall panel system, which fastener is simple and rugged in construction, which can be easily manufactured from readily-available materials, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a wall panel system which is aesthetically pleasing in appearance.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a fastener for a wall system, which fastener consists of a number of small parts which are completely assembled at the factory, so that the parts cannot be mislaid or lost during the application of the fastener to panel elements.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.